Apparatus for bending continuous cast slabs

ABSTRACT

A slab emerging from a casting mold is supported by an articulated roller chain resiliently biased and mounted to a frame. Groups of rollers comprising such chain are mounted to equalizing brackets, and one group of rollers is secured to a piston-cylinder assembly. When the piston cylinder assembly is actuated, the rollers connected thereto exert a bending force on the slab which curves and is supported by the articulated roller chain.

United States Patent Reint'eld et al.

[ APPARATUS FOR BENDING CONTINUOUS CAST SLABS [75] Inventors: Kurt Reinfeld; Emmanuel V. Gouye,

both of Pittsburgh, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Koppers Company, Inc., Pittsburgh,

[22] Filed: Dec. 29, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 319,269

Related US. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 104,817, Jan. 7, 1971, Pat. No. 3,730,256, which is a division of Ser. No. 837,851, Jan. 30, 1969, Pat. No. 3,590,908.

[52] US. Cl 164/282; 164/282 X [51] Int. Cl 322d 11/12 [58] Field of Search 164/282, 269; 74/519; 72/248 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,289,410 7/1942 Dahlstrom 72/248 June 24, 1975 2,680,976 6/1954 Hessenberg et al 72/248 X 3,017,665 1/1962 Dasher et a1 72/248 X 3,263,284 8/1966 Orr et a1. 164/282 UX 3,370,642 2/1968 Meier et a1. 164/282 3,596,706 8/1971 Knorr et a1. 164/282 3,638,713 2/1972 Knell ct a1. 164/282 X Primary E.\-aminerFrancis S. Husar Assistant Examiner-John E. Roethel Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Sherman H. Barber; Olin E. Williams; Oscar B. Brumback 5 7 ABSTRACT A slab emerging from a casting mold is supported by an articulated roller chain resiliently biased and mounted to a frame. Groups of rollers comprising such chain are mounted to equalizing brackets, and one group of rollers is secured to a piston-cylinder assembly. When the piston cylinder assembly isactuated, the rollers connected thereto exert a bending force on the slab which curves and is supported by the articulated roller chain.

2 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUN24115 3,891,026

SHEET 1 FIG. 4

APPARATUS FOR BENDING CONTINUOUS CAST SLABS This application is a division of Ser. No. 104,817, filed Jan. 7, 1971, now US. Pat. No. 3,730,256; which is a division of Ser. No. 837,851, filed Jan. 30, 1969, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,590,908.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the art of continuous metal casting, it has been relatively easy heretofore to bend continuous cast strands having square cross-sectional dimensions of, any 4 X 4 inches, and sections as large even as 8 X 8 inches. But, it has been hazardous to bend continuously cast slabs using the same technique and apparatus due to the larger cross section of the slabs and due to the larger mass of liquid molten metal in the central core of the slab.

How the apparatus of the present invention effectively bends continuous cast slabs in an efficient manner, without danger of undue distortion to the slab contour and without fear of causing a break-out, will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Apparatus for bending a continuous cast slab includes spaced apart groups of rollers mounted to equalizing brackets interconnected together and with other rollers as a slab-supporting chain. One group of rollers is fixed as a fulcrum about which the slab curves, and one other group of rollers is movable and exerts bending forces on the slab.

For a further understanding of the invention and for features and advantages thereof reference may be made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the drawing, which shows for the purpose of exemplification one embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic elevational view of a continuous slab-casting machine including apparatus in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic elevational view, at a larger scale, of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a doubleroll support bracket portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a sectional view along line IV-IV of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a proportioning bracket portion of the apparatus of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a detail of a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 illustrates schematically a continuous casting machine 11 for making and bending continuously cast slabs 13 that emerge from a vertically reciprocable casting mold 15 into which flows molten metal 17 from a tundish 19.

The continuous cast slab 13 has a rectangular cross section from which slabs of finite length may be severed in the manner and by means of the apparatus described in application Ser. No. 812,979 filed Apr. 3, 1969.

Below the bottom of the mold 15, there are a plurality of vertically arranged slab-supporting rollers 21 arranged in opposite pairs. Such rollers 21 are located in the spray chamber zone wherein sprays of water impinge upon and cool the outer surface of the cast slab 13.

Below the slab-supporting rollers 21, there is another group of rollers 23 that are arranged also in opposite pairs; such rollers being designated 23a, 23b, and there being several pairs of such rollers disposed vertically, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Pairs of rollers 23a, 23b, are journaled in a suitable stationary fixed structure 27.

Below the pairs of rollers 23a, 23b there are other pairs of rollers 29a, 29b which are horizontally arranged on opposite sides of the cast slab 13. The rollers 29a, 29b of each pair are journaled in a double-roll bracket 31 having the form shown generally in FIG. 3. Each roll-bracket 31 is pin connected to another double-roll bracket to form an articulate roller chain 32 for supporting the cast slab 13. The uppermost double-roll bracket 31 is pin connected to a link 33 on each side of a support frame 35 that carries two anchors 37, about as shown in FIG. 4.

The support frame 35 may have any suitable shape such as a truss type of structure comprising upper 39 and lower 41 chord member, with vertical side plates 43 of angular cross section and intermediary diagonal tie members 45. The side plate members 43 may, of course, also be truss-type structures if preferred. The support frame 35 extends arcuately, as shown in FIG. 1, from a location just below the structure that-supports the casting mold 15 to a lower terminus adjacent bending and straightening rolls 47.

Each double-roll bracket 31 is a generally rectangular-shaped member that has a elongate slot 49 in one end and a shorter slot 51 in the opposite end. A bearing 53 is fixedly mounted as by pins in the slot 51, and the roller 29a is joumaled in this bearing 53. A similar bearing 57 is disposed in the elongate slot 49 and is cooperative with grooves 59 that permit the bearing 57 to move laterally toward and away from the fixed bearing 53. The roller 29b is journaled in the bearing 57.

A screw jack 61 is fixed to the double-roll bracket 31 where shown, and is connected to the bearing 57. The screw jack may be operated either manually or by a power tool to move the bearing 57 and roller 29b nearer to, or further away from the roll 290, which remains in a fixed position. The cast slab 13 is located between the rollers 29a, 29b, and by means of the screw jack 61 the rollers 29a, 29b may be spaced apart a distance equal to the thickness of the slab 13.

The top and the bottom surfaces of the double-roll support bracket 31 have perforated ears or lugs 63, 65 respectively and, the lug 65 coacts with the lug 63 of an adjacent bracket above and below so that when a pivot pin 67 is inserted into the hole in each cooperating lug, the double-roll supporting brackets are pivotally connected together as the articulated chain 32.

The uppermost group of rollers 29b are also journaled individually in arms 69, 71 of a proportioning bracket 73. The proportioning bracket 73 (FIG. 5) has a channel shaped housing 75 to which the arms 69, 71 are pivotally connected as by pins 77. The housing 75 itself is pivotally connected as by pin 79 to an elongate arm 76 that is pivotally connected as by pin 81 (FIG. 2) to the side plate member 43 of the supporting frame 35.

The lowerend of the elongate member 76 is fixed to a rectangular-shaped block-like portion 83 that is secured to the free end of a piston rod 85 that cooperates with a fluid actuated cylinder 87. The fluid-actuated cylinder is pivotally secured as by pin89 to the side plate member 43, about where shown in FIG. 2.

A pair of channel shaped housings 91, 93 are pivotally connected together and to the block-like portion 83 by means of a common pivot pin 95. To the housing 91, there is pivotally connected, as by pivot pin 97, an equalizing arm 99, and in like manner an equalizing arm 101 is pivotally connected as by pivot pin 103 to housing 93.

At a point about midway along the length of the articulated roller support chain 32, one end of an arm 105 is connected to the slab-supporting chain 68 by means of a connecting link 106 and the arm is pivotally mounted, as by pivot pin 107, to the side wall 43 of the supporting frame 35. The free other end of the arm 105 is secured to one end ofa tension spring 109 that is also secured to the side wall 43 by a pin 111.

Below the arm 105, pairs of double-roller brackets 113 (FIG. 6) are mounted to rods 115 that have a teehead 117 at one end. The tee-head of each rod 115 cooperates with a slot 119 in a bottom flange portion 121 of the side wall 43 of support frame 35.

The double-roller brackets 113 are similar to the double-roller brackets 31 except that rod 115 is fixedly secured to the bracket 113. The upper end of the interconnected double-roller brackets 113, forming ar roller chain portion 123, are also pivotally connected to the lower end of the roller chain 32 and to the arm 105. The lower end of the roller chain portion 123 is connected to another pivoted arm 125 by means of a connecting link 127. The arm 125, like arm 105, in resiliently biased by a spring 129, like spring 109, to the side wall 43.

The upper end of the support frame 35 is connected to a cable 131 that passes over sheaves 133, 135 mounted to the structural support for the casting mold and the cable 131 is wound onto the drum portion of a powered hoisting winch 137 that is mounted to the other horizontal supporting structure 139. The lower end of the support frame 35 is provided with a pair of fixed legs 141, 143 having a common shaft 145 that cooperates with a pivotable fulcrum 147. The fulcrum 147 is pivotable about a base 149 by means of a fluidactuated cylinder 151.

The support frame 35 also has two other fixed legs 153, 155; the leg 153 being located adjacent the lower supporting leg 141, and the leg 155 being located adjacent the upper end of the support frame 35. These legs 153, 155 coact with a horizontally movable car 157 on which is mounted a support cradle 159.

In operation, molten metal 17 is continually poured into mold which is cooled in a normal manner, and a cast slab 13 emerges continually from the bottom of the mold. The cast slab is straight as it descends, and the leading edge of the strand 13 first engages the rolls 29a in the region A shown in FIG. 2. The slab at first flexes the roller chain 32 so that the upper portion of it is vertically straight; the arm 105 pivoting clockwise against the tension spring 109.

As soon as the leading edge of the strand passes zone A, the piston-cylinder 87 is actuated so that the rollers 29a in the the group of rollers linked to the equalizing arms 99, 101, exert forces F against one surface of the slab 13. These forces F are resisted by reactionary forces P exerted by rollers 29b against the opposite surface of the slab, and other fulcrum reactionary forces 0 are exerted against the one surface of the slab by the fixed group of rollers 23a.

As the rollers 29a urge the leading edge portion of the slab 13 toward the right, as viewed in FIG. 2, the slab curves toward the right and finally, after the leading straight portion of the slab has passed through the straightener rolls, the slab follows the arcuate path shown in dotted outline in FIG. 2.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that, when the upper portion of the roller supporting chain 32, is in the position shown in FIG. 2, the lower portion of the chain moves upwardly and to the left, as viewed in FIG. 1. The tee-headed bolts slide in the slots provided in the lower horizontal flange of the support frame. The lower portion of the roller chain is also resiliently biased by an arm, wherefore, the chain assumes a curve that follows the dotted outlines of the slab shown in FIG. 2.

Those skilled in the art will recognize several significant'features and advantages of the present invention among which are:

That the apparatus for bending slabs is effective to bend slabs of various thickness and width, the roller brackets including one roller that is adjustably positionable;

That the equalizing brackets and the rollers journaled thereto equally distribute the bending forces exerted on the slab by each roller;

That a plurality of rollers is used in each group or cluster so that the force exerted by each roller does not cause distortion of a break-out to the thin skin of the cast slab, but yet the cumulative forces of all of the rollers in any group is effective;

That the equalizing bracket directly connected to the piston-cylinder assembly is articulated so that each pair of rollers adjust to the changing curvature of the slab; and

That the roller supporting chain can move out from its normal curved slab' supporting line, when forced out by the descending straight portion of the slab, but the chain being resiliently biased supports the slab in an ar-' cuate path.

What is claimed is: 1. In a continuous casting apparatus, the combination comprising:

a. a roll bracket that supports a pair of rollers includes: i. a first bearing fixedly mounted thereto, ii. a second bearing adjustably mounted thereto,

and iii. a screw jack mounted to said bracket and connected to said second bearing whereby said second bearing is movable relative to said first fixed bearing; b. means on said bracket for connecting said bracket to an adjacent similar bracket; 0. a roller journaled in said fixed bearing; d. a roller journaled in said movable bearing; e. an elongate equalizing arm; f. a first proportioning bracket pivotally mounted to said equalizing arm; g. a first arm pivotally mounted to said proportioning bracket; 1 h. means pivotally connecting said first arm to said roll bracket;

6 i. a second arm pivotally mounted to said proportionii. a third arm pivotally mounted to said first housing bracket; ing, and jmeans pivotally connectmg 531d Second arm to sand iii. a fourth and pivotally mounted to said second adjacent roll brackets;

housing; a seqmd propomonmg bracket pivotally mounted 5 1 means pivotally connecting said third and fourth to said equalizing arm and arranged in spaced apart relation to said first proportioning bracket, said arms each one of s brackets sec nd b k t i l di 2. The invention of claim 1 including:

i. first and second housings pivotally connected tomeans o p t a qualizer armgether 10 

1. In a continuous casting apparatus, the combination comprising: a. a roll bracket that supports a pair of rollers includes: i. a first bearing fixedly mounted thereto, ii. a second bearing adjustably mounted thereto, and iii. a screw jack mounted to said bracket and connected to said second bearing whereby said second bearing is movable relative to said first fixed bearing; b. means on said bracket for connecting said bracket to an adjacent similar bracket; c. a roller journaled in said fixed bearing; d. a roller journaled in said movable bearing; e. an elongate equalizing arm; f. a first proportioning bracket pivotally mounted to said equalizing arm; g. a first arm pivotally mounted to said proportioning bracket; h. means pivotally connecting said first arm to said roll bracket; i. a second arm pivotally mounted to said proportioning bracket; j. means pivotally connecting said second arm to said adjacent roll brackets; k. a second proportioning bracket pivotally mounted to said equalizing arm and arranged in spaced apart relation to said first proportioning bracket, said second bracket including: i. first and second housings pivotally connected together, ii. a third arm pivotally mounted to said first housing, and iii. a fourth and pivotally mounted to said second housing;
 1. means pivotally connecting said third and fourth arms each to one of several brackets.
 2. The invention of claim 1 including: a. means to pivot said equalizer arm. 